Braking device for cable-drawn wagon on funicular railways



March 15, 1960 E. TROFTEN 2,928,502

BRAKING DEVICE FOR CABLE-DRAWN WAGON ON FUNICULAR' RAILWAYS Filed July 26, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG]. I F162, F768.

/INVENTOR 'E.TR FTEN UM, A'fivs March 15, 1960 E. TRGFTEN BRAKING DEVICE FOR CABLE-DRAWN WAGON ON FUNICULAR RAILWAYS Filed July 26, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG 5 INVENTOI? Einar fioffen ATTORNEYS [BRAKING DEVICE FOR CABLE-DRAWN WAGON ON FUNICULAR'RAILWAYS Einar Triiften, Sulitjelma, Norway, assignor to Per Fredrik Troften, Golden, Colo.

Application July 26, 1957, Serial No. 674,462 7 3 Claims. (Cl.188-43) The invention relates to cable-drawn wagons on funicuing device, which bottom is held in raised position as long as pressure is exerted on the cable, but in case of breakage of cable is lowered by automatic engagement of the braking device.

The purpose of the invention is to provide a braking device for such a wagon which is simple, strong, effective and reliable in operation. The device according to the invention consists essentially of a vertical housing fitted to the lower side of the bottom, and a rail clamp suspended in the housing. The bolt is at its ends passed through vertical slots in the housing wall, in such manner that a limited relative movement is made possible between the housing and the rail clamp. The rail clamp is provided with means which by the lowering of the housing and the rail clamp will rest against the rail top and stop the descending movement of the clamp, in such manner that the jaws of the clamp, by the continued descent of the lower edges of the housing, will be firmly clamped to the rail head.

Finally, the housing is provided with a bolt located between the clamp jaws which, by the raising of the housing, will cause the jaws to fall apart before they are raised by the continued lifting of the housing. The said means may, for example, take the form of knobs or shoulders, turned inwards, on the clamp jaws, located at a suitable height above the lower ends of the jaws.

However, according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the means consist of plate-shaped members which are journalled above on the upper edge which car ries the clamp jaws, in such manner that the plates are located between these and the inner wall of the housing.

Further features of the invention will appear from the following description in connection with the drawing, which depicts some embodiments of the braking device according to the invention. In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a vertical projection of the braking device according to the invention in raised, inactive position over a rail shown in section.

Fig. 2 shows in a similar way the device in braking position, partly in section, and

Fig. 3 is a side elevation, forming part of Fig. 2, with the housing partly cut away and partly in section.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation view of one end of a conventional cable-drawn car with the platform in the lowered position and with a braking device according to the present invention mounted thereon; and

Fig. 5 is an end elevation view of the cable-drawn car of Fig. 4.

In Figs. l-3 1 denotes a housing which is fastened at its upper end to the lower side of the raisable and lowerable bottom of the car, as seen in Figs. 4 and 5. 2 denotes two clamp jaws which at their upper ends are pivotably journalled on a horizontal bolt 3, which is vertically journalled in longitudinal excisions 5 on opposite walls of the housing 1. Between the clamp jaws and inner 2,928,502 Patented Mar. 15,

walls of the housing there are two plate-shaped members 4, one on each side of the jaws. These members are likewise journalled on the bolt 3. 6 is a crosspiece, here shown as a bolt which is firmly attached near the lower end of the housing 1. The bolt is located between the clamp jaws 2. These have such length that at their lower ends they reach down to the lower side of the housing 1. 7 is a transversal horizontal plate fastened to the plates 4 near the lower edge of these. On the lower side of plate 7 there is welded a permanent magnet 8. 9 is one of the rails on which the car travels.

The housing 1 is mounted on the under side of a frame 18 of a cable-drawn car, being braced in position by brace 19. The car, which is conventional, is supported on wheels 10 which are rotatably mounted in supportmembers 11.1 The support members are rotatably mounted on the under side of frame 18 by pivots 13 so that on rotation of the support members 11, the frame 18 is raised or lowered relative to the wheels 10. Rigidly secured to the support members 11 are arms 14 which have pivoted to their free ends 15 cable anchors 16 which in turn have cables 17 attached thereto. When tension is exerted on the cables 17, either to pull the car up an inclined rail or to restrain its descent along the rail, the arms 14 exert a rotational force on the support members 11 and cause the car frame 18 to be raised.

In the event of a cable breakage the bottom of the car, and thereby of the housing 1, will be lowered from the position shown in Fig. 1 to the position shown in Figs. 2 and 3. Simultaneously with the housing the clamp jaws 2 will descend until the magnet 8 rests against the rail top. Hereby further descent of the plates 4, and thereby of the bolt 3 or clamp jaws 2, is prevented. As the housing 1 continues its descent it will press with its lower edges against the sides of the clamp jaws 2, as shown most clearly in Fig. 2. The jaws will thereby be firmly pressed against the sides faces of the rail head, whereby the desired braking effect is produced. The braking effect is augmented by use of the magnet 8, but the magnet is not absolutely necessary. If the magnet 8 is omitted, plate 7 also can be omitted, and plates 4 will in such case, by the lowering of the housing 1, rest against the rail top with their lower edges and thereby prevent further descent of the clamp jaws 2.

With the exertion of tension on cable 17 the housing 1 and bolt 6 are raised, and in the course of this the clamp jaws will be caused to open. As a result of the further ascent of the housing 1 the bolt 3 will finally be raised, i.e. when the lower edge of the excisions 5 reaches the level of the lower side of the bolt 3. The clamp jaws 2 will then be lifted from the rail to the position shown in Fig. 1.

As will readily be understood, each car will be fitted With two or more braking devices, suitably two, which will act on its rail.

I claim.

1. A braking device for cable-drawn vehicles with a raisable and lowerable platform thereon, said device comprising a housing extending in the direction of raising and lowering said platform and raisable and lowerable with the platform, a pair of plates slidably mounted in said housing, stop means on said housing engageable with said plates for limiting the sliding movement of said plates in said housing, said plates extending beyond'the end of said housing away from said platform when at one extreme of sliding movement, and a pair of rail clamping jaws pivotally mounted on said plates for movement around an axis perpendicular to the direction of raising and lowering, said rail clamping jaws extending out of said housing and having rail clamping heads thereon.

2. A braking device for cable-drawn vehicles with a raisable and lowerable platform thereon, said device com- 3 7 1 V in the direction of raising and the platform, a pair'of plates slidably mounted in said housing, stop means .on said housing engageablew ith said plates "for limiting; the j slidinggmovement of j'said plates said housing away fromsaidiiplatform Whe'nat one ex treme of sliding movement, and a pair of rail clamping jawspivotallyr mounted on said plates for movement around an' axis perpendicular to the d irecti'on'of raising and lowering, said'railiclampingjaws extending out of saidrhousing and having rail clamping heads thereon, and a permanent magnet extending between saidpla'tes at the ends thereof which extend out of said housing g, 3. A braking device for cable-drawn vehicles with a raisable and lowerable platform thereon, said devise comprising a housing extending in the direction of raising and lowering said platform andtt aisable and lowerablev with the platform, a pair of plates slidably 'rnounted in said 20 housing, a crossp iece on the'end of "said housing toward which the lowering movement takes place, said plates having slots therein extending in the direetion of raising and lowering through which said crosspiece extends, said ,7 masses plates extending beyond the end of said housing away from said platform when at 'one'extreme'of sliding movement, and a pair of rail clamping jaws pivotally mounted ,in' saidhous ing said plates extending beyond the end of 1 dicular to the direction of raising and lowering, said rail clamping jaws extending out of said housing and having References; Cited in thefiie of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS- 1 1,238,643 Davidon j Aug, 28, 1917 1,274,011 Mow -Ju1 '30,191s 1,513,296 7 Theme. Oct. 28,1924 4,852,703 Crews Apr. 5, 1932 2,327,325 Zavatakay Aug. 17, 1943 a. FOREIGN P TENTS a r 13,223 Frmceengfle Dec. 12,1910

(Addition to No. 418,888) I 520318 Germany j 1Vlar.9, 1931 4ss,47s 

